Apparatus for forming wheel peripheries



Sept. 11, 1956 o. A. SCHMIDT 2,762,171

APPARATUS FOR FORMING WHEEL PERIPHERIES Filed April 21, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. OTTO A. SCHMIDT BYW Sept. 11, 1956 SCHMIDT 2,762,171

APPARATUS FOR FORMING WHEEL PERIPHERIES Filed April 21, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 3

. INVENTOR. OTTO A. SCHMIDT ATTORNE p 11, 1956 4 o. A. SCHMIDT 2,762,171

APPARATUS FOR FORMING WHEEL PERIPHERIES Filed April 21, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. OTTO A SCHMIDT ATTORNEY llnited States APPARATUS FOR FGRMING WIEEL PERIPHERIES Otto A. Schmidt, Harvey, 11]., assignor to Whiting Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application April 21, 1953, Serial No. 350,028 8 Claims. (Cl. 51-404) My invention refers to apparatus for restoring proper contour and concentricity to flanged railway vehicle wheels without removing the Wheels or axles from the vehicle.

The problem of properly maintaining railway vehicle wheels in proper condition at reasonable cost has been clearly recognized for many years. Since a substantial portion of the cost of wheel maintenance when performed by conventional methods is incurred in removing the wheels and axles from the vehicle, several devices have been proposed for accomplishing the work without undertaking removal of the wheel assembly. In general, these evices have not met with widespread acceptance for various reasons, such as the inability to consistently maintain wheels within the desired tolerance limit and the limited adaptability of the devices to the various types of railway vehicles commonly encountered.

A primary object of my invention is therefore the provision of a device adapted to form the periphery of a flanged railway vehicle wheel to a desired contour truly concentric with the axis of revolution without removing the Wheel or any of its associated components from the railway vehicle to which the wheel assembly is attached.

Other important objects of this invention pertain to the provision of novel means for supporting and rotating a pair of flanged railway vehicle wheels about their normal axis of revolution without mechanical engagement of the axle center, for supporting the vehicle during such operation and for bringing the forming wheel into proper controlled contact with the vehicle wheel.

Further objects of my invention reside in various of the components and their relationship to each other, all of which are fully described in the following description and are illustrated in the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partially broken away elevation of a preferred form of my device;

Fig. 2 is a partial elevation shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic mechanism utilized in my device,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the l and 2, and

Fig. 6 is a partial vertical section contour forming device such as a grinding wheel.

In essence, my device provides a pair of grooved rollers which engage only the flanges, but not the rim, of each of a pair of flanged railway vehicle wheels conventionally mounted in fixed position on an axle, which is in turn journaled on a railway vehicle. Suitable supports are provided for the journal boxes or the like to support the vehicle in such manner that the vehicle load is removed from the wheel and axle. The two pairs of grooved rollers, each engaging one of the wheels to be formed, are carried on a beam supported resiliently by hydraulic jacks'or the like in such manner as to exert a limited continuous upward thrust .sufiicient in degree to move the of a portion of the device device illustrated in Figs.

through the wheel axle into place in the bearing. Means are provided which allow these rollers to move downwardly when this limited pressure is exceeded and to again assume their normal position when the cause of the excess force is removed. The forming device, such as a properly contoured grinding wheel, is moved upwardly into engagement with the vehicle wheel, the latter being rotated during the forming operation at a relatively slow speed through rotation of the grooved rollers.

In a majority of instances, the periphery of a railway wheel flange will be truly concentric with the axis of revolution. Thus, the constant upward thrust of the grooved rollers against the wheel flange seats the axle firmly in the bearing and thereby forces the wheel and axle to revolve about its true axis of revolution, this being the axis established by the axle bearing. Since the grinding wheel or cutter may be disposed by the operator at a predetermined distance from the axis of revolution, it becomes clear that the periphery of the wheel after grinding or cutting will be truly concentric with such axis.

At times, wheels will be encountered with irregular or nonconcentric flanges. Even in such instances a concentric wheel periphery will be obtained with my device since the grooved rollers through their resilient support may deflect as required without changing the relative positions of the wheel forming device and the axis of revolution. Ordinarily I prefer to use a grinding wheel formed to develop the proper wheel contour, since it is believed that the most desirable Wheel surface is formed by grinding. The following description will therefore be confined to a description of a device employing a formed grinding wheel, but it will be obvious that a milling cutter or other suitable form of metal forming tool may be substituted Without difiiculty for the grinding wheel if desired.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, my machine is preferably disposed in a pit, generally designated 10, formed below railway vehicle tracks 11, and defining a gap orinterruption therein. A frame, generally designated 12, includes uprights 13 and cross members 14, the latter being disposed near the level of the tracks 11 and transversely thereto. As best shown in Fig. 5, a pair of retractable rails 16, spanning the gap in the track 11, are slidably mounted on the cross members 14 and are movable inwardly from the position shown in Fig. 5 by actuation of hydraulic cylinders 17 interposed between the members 14 and the rails 16. The rails 16 include an inner section 18 adapted to receive and support the rim or tread of railway vehicle wheel when the rails 16 are in alignment with the track 11. Notches '19 are formed in each of the portions 18 to accommodate grooved rollers 21, the notches 19 extending outwardly only partially through the portions 18. Stops 20, mounted on the members 14, insure alignment of the rails 16 with the track 11 at the inner position of the rails 16.

The gap or interruption in the track is also spanned by a pair of beams 22, each end of each of these beams being supported by hydraulic jack or cylinder 23. Cross members 24 extend between the beams 22 and serve as reinforcing members. Parallel spaced shafts 26 are journaled to the beams 22 and project transversely thereto, the grooved rollers 21 being secured to the extremities of these shafts. Sprockets 27 or the like are secured to each of the shafts 26 and connected by -a chain 28 to a drive motor 29, the latter in turn being suitably supported by the beams 22 but disposed below the level of the shafts 26. Fixed guides 31 secured to the frame 12 project upwardly into close proximity with the beams 22 and are disposed for engagement with guide rollers 32 rotatably mounted in fixed position on the beams 22, the purpose of these rollers being to prevent excessive longitudinal movement .of the .beams, Eye bolts ,33 are pivotally sesure determined by the spring 71 is reached cured 'to the beams 22 and project downwardly through suitable openings formed in the frame 12, terminating in nuts 34 which limit the upward movement of the beams 22. Pivot pins 36 provide the necessary' connection between the jacks 23 and the beams 22. The length of the shaft 26 is such that the rollers 21 are disposed for engagement with the flanges of the railway vehicle wheels to be ground on the machine.

Four fixed upright guides or gibs 37 are secured to the frame 12 and slidably receive and support a pair of gerierally rectangular grinder frames, generally designated 38. More specifically, the cross members 14 are secured to upright frame members 13, as shown in Figure l, and are also attached to the four upright guides 37. The grinder frames 38 include wedge shaped, elongated end pieces 40 which slidably engage mating grooves formed in the guides 38. The frames 38 are restrained in position by and cantilevered outwardly from the guides 37 and are moved independently by motors 39 coupled to an upright screw 41 disposed between the grinder frame 38 and the frame 12. A motor 42 is carried in each of the frames 38 and is coupled as by a chain 43 to a sprocket 44, the latter being slidably mounted on a splined mandrel 46. A grinding wheel 47 is mounted on the mandrel 46, the wheel periphery being shaped to produce the desired contour on a railway vehicle wheel, indicated at 48. The wheel 47 is disposed in such position that its axis is midway between the axis of the shafts 26 and the rollers 21, thus permitting engagement of the wheel 47 with the vehicle wheel 48 while the rollers 21 are in contact with the vehicle wheel. It should be noted that the vehicle wheel 48 includes a flange 49 and a rim or tread 51, the rollers 21 engaging only the flange 49. The wheel 47, of course, engages both the rim 51 and the flange 49.

To maintain the proper contour on the wheel 47 a crush dressing wheel 52 of suitable contour is rotatably mounted on a slide 53 connected to the grinder frame 38 by a screw 54 in such manner that the dressing wheel 52 may be brought into forceable contact with the grinding wheel 47 by operation of the screw 54. The mandrel 46 is journaled to a sub-frame 56 slidably supported on parallel bars 57 fixed to the grinder frame 38.- Means including a lead screw 58 and a control wheel 59 suitably coupled by sprockets, chain and bevel gears, not shown, are provided for moving the sub-frame 56 with the grinding wheel 47 laterally along the bars 57 thereby permitting accurate alignment of the grinding wheel 47 with the vehicle wheel 48. Coolant may be introduced through a conduit 50 to the grinding area. A vertically reciprocable splash guard 55, guided on the sub frame 56, may be raised and lowered as required by suitable movement of the vertical screw 60 which is rotatably supported by the sub frame 56.

The cylinders 17 and 23 are actuated by a suitable hydraulic system such as that illustrated in Fig. 4. As therein shown, I provide a reservoir 61 having an outlet 62 communicating with the inlet of a large pump 63 and with the inlet of a small pump 64. A high pressure relief valve 66 set, for example, at 1,000# connects the discharge side of the small pump 64 with a return line 67 communicating with the reservoir 61. The output of the large pump 63 initially passes through an open central portion of a dumbbell valve 69. A spring 71 biases this valve into such position that the discharge of the large pump 63 passes through the valve 69 to an outlet line 72 which also connects with the outlet of the small pump 64. A branch pipe 73 connects the pipe 72 with the lower extremity of the dumbbell valve 69 in such manner that when the pressure in the pipes 72 and 73 is sufiicient to overcome the pressure of the spring 71, the valve 69 is moved upwardly, blocking transmission of fluid from the pump 63 into the line 72 and connecting the outlet of the pump 63 with a return pipe 74. From the foregoing it will be observed that until a certain presin the pipe 72,

'in one position conducts pressure at 250, 4 Movement of the valve 79 both pumps will discharge into the pipe 72 producing a high rate of piston movement. After this pressure has been attained, however, the output of the pump 63 is bypassed through the valve 69 and allowed to return Without obstruction to the reservoir 61. The small pump 64 continues to operate, however,

66 or 81 opens. If so desired, a single motor 76 may be employed to drive both the pumps 63 and 64.

The pipe 72 is connected to a 4-way valve77, which fluid from the pipe 72 to the lower portions of the cylinders 23, thereby moving the beams 22 upwardly. Under such circumstances the valve 77 connects the opposite or upper end of the cylinders 23 with the return pipe 67. If the position of the valve 77 is reversed, the pressure fluid will enter the upper ends of the cylinders 23 and the lower ends of the same cylinders will be connected by the valve 77 to the return pipe 67.

Another 4-way valve 78 connects the pipe 72 in similar manner with the upper or lower portions of the cylinders 17 and simultaneously establishes the necessary return connection for the opposite portions of the cylinders 17 through the return line 74. Actuation of the valve 78 will therefore move the retractable rails 16 inwardly into position to receive and support railway vehicle wheels or into retracted position while the wheels are in engagement with the grooved rollers 21.

A third 4-way valve 79 is provided and in one position interconnects the pipe 72.with the return pipe 67 through a low pressure relief valve 81 set, for example, will disconnect the pipe 72 from the valve 81, thereby making only the valve 66 effective to relieve high pressure in the pipe 72.

My apparatus is prepared for operation by lowering of the grinding wheel frame 38 and the beams 22. The rails 16 are moved inwardly into alignment with the tracks 11 by operation of the cylinders 17, this in turn being accomplished by suitable positioning of the valve 78. The vehicle, such as a locomotive indicated at 82, is then moved along the tracks 11 over the rails 16 until the center of the vehicle wheel axle 83 is approximately midway between the grooved rollers 21. The valve 79 is then turned to such position that the valve 81 is not effective, the valve 77 being thereafter actuated to move the beams 22 upwardly. This brings the grooved rollers 21 into contact with the flanges 49 of the vehicle wheels 48 and lifts the wheels 48 and the vehicle sufficiently to permit retraction of the rails 16. Blocks or jacks are then disposed to support the journal box in fixed position, these usually being disposed between the journal box and the frame 12 or the rails 16. The valve 79 is then turned to its other position in which the valve 81 is effective which, of course, substantially reduces the pressure in the pipe 72 and in the cylinder 23. This lowered pressure is maintained substantially constant by operation of the pump 64 and is sufficient to insure that the vehicle axle 83 is continuously forced upwardly into firm engagement with the bearing 86, this being the position in which the axle and therefore the wheel must rotate. If the vehicle is relatively heavy, as is the case with the locomotive, a simple block or jack 84 is sufficient, since the force developed by the pistons the valve 81 is operating will not be suflicient to raise the journal and hence lift the bearing 86. If the wheels of the lighter vehicles, such as freight or passanger cars, are to be treated, there may be danger of moving the gearing or bearing 86 from a fixed position. Under such circumstances the journal box or other suitable portion of the vehicle rigid with the bearing 86 may be firmly clamped to the frame 1?. by any suitable means.

Due to the upward thrust of the cylinders 23' the grooved rollers 21 are in driving engagement with the wheels 48. Actuation of the motor 29 is therefore effective to cause rotation of. the vehicle wheels .48 toand supplies fluid under high pressure to the cylinders until one of the relief valves 23 when I 'to bring the rotating wheel gether with the axle 83. It should be noted that the rotation thus developed occurs "about the true desired axis of rotation of the wheels when in use rather than about any other axis, and that the axis is determined by the bearing 86 rather than by lathe centers or the like on the axle 83.

The motor 42 is actuated to drive the grinding wheel 47 at its proper speed while the motor 39 is employed 47 into contact with the vehicle wheel 48, this contact occurring between the rollers 21. Conventional means may be provided forcing the wheel 47 against the vehicle wheel '48 at a constant rate or at a constant pressure.

In a majority of instances the flange 49 of a railway vehicle wheel will be found to be truly concentric with the axle 83 and with the axis of rotation. Under such circumstances, upward movement of the grooved rollers 21 is very slight and only sutficient to compensate for the amount of material removed from the wheel 48 by the grinding wheel 47. However, should the periphery of the flange 49 will be non-concentric or irregular, the grooved rollers 21 will move upwardly or downwardly as required to accommodate the irregularities. This, however, occurs without producing movement of the bearing 86 and without changing the position of the axle 83 with respect to the bearing 86. This is possible due to the yieldable support of the beams 22 by the jacks 23 resulting from the limited constant pressure to which the jacks or cylinders 23 are subjected. Other yieldable constant pressure means could be substituted, if desired, for the cylinders 23, it being necessary only that the upward thrust or pressure of the rollers 21 against the vehicle flange 49 be substantially constant, sufiicient to insure seating of the axle 83 in its bearing 86, and less than that capable of producing movement of the bearing 86, so that the force will yield before the bearing will rise. It is to be noted particularly that at no time is it necessary to engage the lathe center formed on the outer ends of the axle 83.

The vehicle wheels 48 are driven at a relatively slow speed compared with that of the grinding Wheel 47, which in operation loses its contour due to excessive wear at certain points. The development of a proper contour on the vehicle wheel 48 is dependent upon maintaining the contour of the wheel 47 in proper condition. This is, of course, accomplished by bringing the dressing wheel 52 into contact with the grinding wheel 47 as required during operation.

When the grinding has been completed, it will be found that the vehicle wheels 48 are truly concentric with the axis of revolution and that the exact desired contour has been established. It is necessary only to gauge the wheels with respect to diameter in order to insure that each wheel is of the same dimension. Since the grinder frames 38 are independently movable, it will be obvious that the wheel diameter is easily controlled. Upon completion of the operation the rollers 21 are moved upwardly by actuation of the valve 79, thereby raising the vehicle and permitting removal of the blocks or jacks. Thereafter valve 78 is actuated, bringing the retractable rails 16 into position below the vehicle wheels 48 and in alignment with the track 11. The vehicle 82 is then lowered by actuation of the valve 77 and moved to bring the next set of wheels into position for treatment.

It is, of course, possible to modify the structure herein described in several respects without departing from the true spirit and scope of this invention. For example, milling cutters of suitable contour may be substituted, as previously noted, for the grinding wheels 47. Such modification is considered to be Within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for truing the periphery of the wheel of a flanged railway vehicle Wheel and axle assembly while journaled in the bearing of a vehicle journal box comprising a supporting frame, thrust means positioned to react between said frame and the journal box of a vehicle for supporting the journal box, a pair of spaced grooved rollers for engagement with the flange of the vehicle wheel, means for positioning said rollers beneath said wheeland for forcing them upwardly against the flange of the wheel at a constant pressure insufficient to raise said bearing, means for driving the rollers to rotate the Wheel, wheel truing means positioned between the rollers, and means for urging said wheel truing means into engagement with the rim and flange of the wheel.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the pair of spaced grooved rollers are so located as to be positioned beneath the vehicle wheel equidistantly on oppo site sides of a vertical plane bisecting the wheel axle and in which the wheel truing means is a grinding wheel midway between said rollers.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a beam mounting the rollers and hydraulic jack means for supporting the beam and forcing the rollers into engagement with the flange of the vehicle wheel.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a beam mounting the rollers so as to be positioned beneath the vehicle wheel equidistantly on opposite sides of a vertical plane bisecting the Wheel axle, means supporting the beam and adapted to force the rollers into engagement with the flange of the vehicle wheel, and a frame movable independently of the beam and rollers supporting the wheel truing means equidistantly between the rollers.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a beam mounting the rollers so as to be positioned beneath the vehicle wheel equidistantly on opposite sides of a vertical plane bisecting the wheel axle, means supporting the beam and adapted to force the rollers into engagement with the flange of the vehicle wheel, a frame movable independently of the beam and rollers supporting the Wheel truing means equidistantly between the rollers, and means forcing the frame upwardly for pressing the wheel truing means into engagement with the vehicle Wheel.

6. Apparatus for truing the periphery of the wheel of a flanged railway vehicle wheel and axle assembly while journaled in the bearing of a vehicle journal box comprising a supporting frame, thrust means positioned to react between said frame and the journal box of a vehicle for supporting the journal box, a pair of spaced rollers engaged with the flange of the vehicle wheel, means positioning said rollers beneath said wheel and forcing them upwardly against the flange of the wheel at a constant pressure insuflicient to raise said bearing, means for driving the rollers to rotate the wheel, and Wheel truing means positioned between the rollers and urged into engagement with the rim and flange of the wheel when the wheel is rotated by the rollers.

7. Apparatus for truing the periphery of the wheel of a flanged railway vehicle wheel and axle assembly while journaled in the bearing of a vehicle journal box comprising a supporting frame, a pair of spaced grooved rollers mounted on the frame for engagement with the flange of a wheel of a vehicle positioned over the frame, means for positioning said rollers beneath said wheel and for forcing them upwardly against the flange of the wheel at a constant pressure insuflicient to raise said bearing, means for driving the rollers to rotate the wheel, means operatively connecting the journal box bearing and the frame to prevent movement of the journal relative tothe frame, wheel truing means positioned between the rollers, and means for urging said wheel truing means into engagement with the rim and flange of the wheel.

8. Apparatus for truing the periphery of a wheel of a flanged railway vehicle wheel and axle assembly while said assembly is journaled in bearings mounted in vehicle journal boxes on a vehicle comprising a supporting frame, a pair of spaced grooved rollers carried by the frame for movement upwardly into engagement with the flange of the vehicle wheel, the spacing and configuration of said rollers being such as to prevent lateral and longitudinal References Cited in the file of this patent movement of the vehicle wheel, means for forcing said UNITED STATES PATENTS rollers upwardly agamst the flange of the vehicle wheel 1 at a first pressure sufiicient to move the assembly and 288717 McIntyre 20, 8

journal box upwardly a distance permitting insertion of a 5 3752.657, stan'fmler j 1887 support blocking subsequent downward movement of the 598,155 Lewls 1, 1893 journal box and at a second substantially constant pres- 6801978 Huber Allg- 1901 sure insuflicient to raise said journal box, means for dr-iv- 6831554 Cuttlel' 1901 ing the rollers to rotate the vehicle wheel, wheel truing 821,621 Dunn y 29,.1906

means positioned between the rollers and means for nrg- 10 1,948,866 NOFtOH 27, 1934 ing said wheel truing means into engagement with said 2,546,225 Juhan 27, 1951 2,558,017 Tack June 26, 1951 11' h ve mew eel 2,626,492 Balsiger I an. 27, 19 3 

